Means for governing internal-combustion engines



- Aug. 12, 1930. c. F. L. KING 1,773,076

MEANS FOR GOVERNING INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Jan. 15, 1928 5 Sheets-She' 3 m i 3 2 0 27 i L 25 rml" 2 k9 2 J 2 I 20 ""2. 5 7

INVENTOR BY ATTORNEY Aug. 12, 1930. c. F. L. KING 1,773,076

' MEANS FOR GOVERNING INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Jan. 15, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 :5 "11275:" v @l? i -:t'..'.t:.'

a 31 v S INVENTO ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 12, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT DFFICE CHARLES FREDERICK LAWRENCE KING, OF BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO MORRIS COMMERCIAL CARS LIMITED, OF BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND MEANS FOR GOVERNING INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES Application filedv January 13, 1928, Serial No. 246,445, and in Great Britain January 27, 1927. i

This invention relates to governors for use in connection with internal combustion engines, in which a device or valve actuated by the governor is provided for cutting off the fuel supply when the engine or vehicle reaches a predetermined speed. The invention relates to governing arrangements for use in connection with internal combustion engines, such governing arrangements being of the type in which a device or valve actuated by a centrifugal governor is provided for cutting ofi the fuel supply when the engine or the vehicle driven by the engine reaches a predetermined speed. The invention relates more particularly, however, to arrangements in which the governor actuates a valve adapted to close the difiuser tube or jet aperture of the vcarburetter.

In arrangements of the above type the actuation of the fuel-controlling means has hitherto been more or less gradual, according to the increase in the engine or vehicle speed, and a gradual weakening of the mixture has taken place, resulting in irregular running of the engine before the complete closing or shutting off of the fuel supply is efiected. The object of the present invention is to provide means for operatively connecting the fuel-controlling member to the governor, in such a manner that the above disadvantage may be overcome and regular running of the engine obtained up to the moment of reaching the speed decided upon.

The invention consists in the provision of an arrangement which renders the governor inoperative upon the fuel-control device until the moment the predetermined speed is reached, means being provided for causing the governor, at the said moment, suddenly to operate the said fuel-control device so that the fuel supply is instantly cut off. -According to the preferred arrangement a springcontrolled arm is provided adapted to be ac tuated by a sleeve or other part operated by the governor, so that a project-ion on the arm co-operates with a projection on a lever engaging, or operatively-connected to, the fuel control member or valve, causing the latter to. he suddenly actuated immediately the 0 predetermined speed is reached. Where the valve is disposed within the diffuser tube of l Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a sectional view of a governor fitted with an arrangement in accordance with this invention for suddenly actuating a valve disposed within the diffuser-tube of the carburetter, showing the valve in its raised or inoperative position.

Figure 2 is a similar View of the governor and valve after the. latter has been actuated.

Figure 3 shows the improved valve actuating mechanism (with the parts inthe positions shown inFigure 1) viewed from the opposite side and upon a larger scale.

Figure 4 shows the parts of the actuating mechanism on a larger scale, when in the positions shown in Figure 2, but viewed from the other side. I

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate two modified'arrangements which may be employed.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings,the governor is housed within a casing 1 mounted above the carburetter and attached thereto by a dependingtubular extension 2, the latter fitting over an axially-bored extension 3 of the carburetter'body, which said extension 3 is disposed above the difiuser tube 4, and which contains a vertically-disposed valve 5 adapted to close down onto a seating 6 Within the said diffuser tube when the engine or vehicle reaches the speed determined upon. The governor may be of any suitable construction, but inthe example shownit consists of Weights 7 pivotally connected to a part 8 fixed upon the one end of a shaft 9 which is mounted within bearings at opposite ends of the casing- 1 and driven from the engine, or from the road wheels of the vehicle,

the said weights being connected by links 11 to a sleeve 12 mounted u on the shaft and arranged to be moved axia 1y upon the latter against the action of a spring 13 as the speed of the engine or vehicle increases. The one endoi this sleeve 12 is formed with a pair of collars. 14 separated by an annular groove 15, and-according to this invention, the said oove l5 is engaged by a roller 16 upon a fienlly-extendmg'pin 17 which is carried by the upper end of a. lever 18 fulcrumed or pivotally mounted at its lower end upon a fpivot-pin 19 carried bythe lower portion 0 the governor casing, the arrangement being such that the said lever is turned angularly about its 'loaver end as the sleeve is moved axially by the governor.- Mounted upon a pivot-pin 20, also-carried by the overnor casing and an n (1 immediately a ove the pin 19, is a ie'ver 21,11 disposed in a sub- Mally horizontal pllme and arranged in all a manner that its otouts: egil rests ILPOH z, ETBXUJ ty t v ve 5,a ove the g lser tube, the said valve being normnlly'raised from ad its seating by a suitably arranged spring 22 and extending into the governor casing, as: shown, the lever 21 being prevented from being moved by the valve beyond itsnormah horizontal position by a stop 23, Fnnned at the upper edge of the lever 21,.afiabnnt themidddeimdi immediately above the pivot 20, is an upwardly-extending projerttwmor tooth 24, and in order to enable the said lever 21 to he suddenly actuated when the desired speed has been reached an arm 25 ie'pivotallyconnected at its one end, at 26,

mmlnteral extensiomnfithe lever 18, the said mrmrbeizig providedupemits lower edge with a-tmfi 27 adaptedztoloo operate with the tenth 2G, and normally disposed upon the one sidelof the lttten The opposite unpivot edmd of the arm 25. is connected to the upper extremity ot a coiled tension spring 28 at its 1m end to a lug at the lower'end of the lever 18, the spring: tending 1101 1119 11! he arm down abbntthe pivot '26. Under nonnalrnnning conditions the apex of the-m th 24 engages, the lower edge ofcthe arm 25,;whilst the int or apex of the tooth Mdflraised slight y-ebove the edge of the levargfll, as shown, 3, so that the iorceieaerted by thespringacts on the lever flflimp ii immediately above the pivot 20,

result that thesaid lever is uninfiuthe spring and remains in its norw "w hwizontal ositiun, being maintained position the valve spring 22, the Remaining raised its open position.

Asa-the speed of the engine or the speed of thawehicle increases the governorweights flflyontwards and movethe sleeve 12 axially, theaxial movement of the sleeve being tted to the lever member 18 so that the latter turnsanguiarly about its'lower am 25 moves with the lever 18 so that the tooth 27 upon the said arm is caused to ride up the opposed inclined edge of the tooth 24. As the speed reaches the limit determined upon the tooth 27 wipes over the end of the tooth 24 and engages the opposite inclined edge of the latter, as shown in Figure 4, the spring 28, which is stronger than the spring 22, immediately moving the arm 25 downwards, the co-operation of the engaging inclined edges of the two teeth causing the lever 21 to turn about its fulcrum, so that the end of the said lever which engages the valve 5 moves downwards and causes the latter to close on toits seating, thus cutting off the fuel supply with a snap action. As the fuel supply is thus suddenly arrested the vehicle or engine is caused to slacken its speed, and as the speed decreases the governor-actuated sleeve 12 is caused to move back towards its normal position, moving back the lever 18 and the arm 25 carried: thereby, so that the tooth 27 on the said arm moves back over the tooth 24 until the edge of the arm again rests upon the apex of the latter. The force exerted by the spring 28 thus again acts immediately over the pivot 20, the lever 21 being automatically returned to its normal horizontal position by the vatve spring 22, the valve at the same time rising away from its seating, thus allowing an uninterrupted fuel supply. Owing to the sudiden actuation of the valve-controlling lever the engine continues to run regularly until the instant the predetermined speed is reached, when its speed is quicklyarrested by the closing down of the valve, as stated. A slightly modified arran ment which may be employed is shown in *igure 5. In this case the governor-actuated sleeve 12 is arranged to actuate a lever 18 pivoted at 19 to the casing, the pivot also carrying a lever 21 engaging the valve 5 and provided with a tooth 24. Thequick actuation of the valve is obtained by a catch 25 pivoted to the lever 18 and controlled by a spring 28, the axial movement of the sleeve 12 causing, when the speed of the vehicle reaches the predetermined limit, the catch to wipe over the tooth 24 and engage the upper edge of the latter, so that the lever 21 is conse uently moved down by the spring, thereby iorcing down the valve on to its seating and shutting ofi' the supply. As the speed decreases the catch is moved back towards its original position and allows the valve to rise.

Any other suitable arrangement may be provided for suddenly actuating the valve when the engine or Vehicle reaches the speed determined upon. For example, if desired the arrangement shown in Figure 6 may be adopted, two levers 18 and 29 hinged at their inner ends to a common fixed pivot 30 and connected together by a tension spring 28 being provided, the upper endof the lever 18 being arranged to engage a sleeve 12 op erated by the governor, whilst the lower end of the other lever 29 has a laterally-bent lug 31 adapted to engage beneath the end of a third lever 21 engaging the valve 5. When the sleeve is actuated the two levers 18 and 29 move into alignment, and as soon as they move beyond this position the spring is caused to lie upon the opposite side of the pivot 30, causing the lever 29 to be turned suddenly about the latter, so that the lug 31 engages the lever 21 and causes the latter to actuate the valve and suddenly cut off the fuel supply. 7

Having fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is V -1. Means for governing an internal combustion engine comprising, in combination, a centrifugal governor, an axially slidable valve for controlling the fuel supply to the engine, a spring for normally maintaining said valve open, a lever to act upon said valve to move the same axially against the action of the spring, said lever carrying a projection, a lever operated by the governor, and a spring-controlled pivoted member carried by said governor-actuated lever and having a projection which, when a predetermined speed of the governor is attained, wipes over the projection on the valve-actuating lever and suddenly acts upon the latter to cause it to rock and to close the valve with a snap action.

2. Means for governing an internal combustion engine comprising, in combination, a centrifugal governor having an axially movable member controlled by centrifugal action, an axially slidable valve for controlling the fuel supply to the engine, a spring for normally maintaining said valve open, a lever to act upon said valve to move the same axially against the action of the spring, the said lever having upon one edge an angular projection, a lever operated by the axially movable member of the governor, and a spring-actuated pivoted member carried by said governor-actuated lever, and having a projecting tooth engaging one side of the,

projection on the valve-actuating lever until a predetermined speed of the governor is attained when it wipes over the said projection and engages the opposite incline-d edge thereof so as to exert a pressure upon the valve-actuating lever such as to'move the said lever and suddenly close the valve against the action of the valve spring.

3. Means for governingan internal combustion engine comprising, in combination, a

governor, an axially slidable valve for con-- trolling the fuel supply to the vengine, a spring for normally maintain ng the valve open, a lever member for actuating said valve by moving it axially so as to close the same, a spring-actuated pivoted member normally inoperative upon the said valve through the tion engine comprising, in combination, a

governor, an axially slidable valverfor con= trolling the fuel supply tothe engine,.a spring for normally maintaining the valve open,a lever for actuating the said valve by moving it axially so as to close the same, a spring-ac tuat-e'd pivoted member normally inoperative upon the said valve through the said lever,

V and a lever member operated by the governor and operatively connected tothe said pivoted member, the latter, when a predetermined speed of the governor is attained, being moved by theoperation of said lever member over a deadcenter in relat1on to the valve actuating member, into a position such that it acts suddenly upon the said valve-actuating lever to cause said lever to overcome the action of the valve spring and close the valve with a snap action.

5. Means for governing an internal combustion engine comprising, in combination, a. centrifugal governor, an axially slidable valve for controlling the fuel supply to the engine, a 'springfor normally maintaining said valve open, a lever for actuating said valve, a lever operated bythe governor, and

a dead-centre spring snap-action device associated with the valve lever and gOV6II10I'-Uperated lever,'said device being controlled by the governor-operated lever and including a 1 member which acts upon the valve lever under the influence of the spring of the snap-action device to close the valve suddenly only when the governor attains a predetermined speed. 7

6. Means for governing an internal combustion engine comprising, in combination, a centrifugal governor, an axially slidable valve for controlling the fuel supply to the engine, a spring for normally maintaining said valve open, a lever for actuating said valve, a lever operated by the governor, and a spring-controlled pivoted member carried by said governor-actuated lever, said pivoted member normally engaging said valve lever on one side of a dead centre such that it is inoperative on the valve but being moved by the governor-actuated lever when a predetermined governor speed is attained so as to engage the valve lever on the other side of the dead centre and thereby operate the said lever to close the valve suddenly.

7 Means for governing an internal comi I bustion engine comprising, incombination,

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